My Charleston Church Tour
Because there are so many churches to visit it is difficult to know where to start. I decided to start with the one close to my home and then work my way into the city.
Keep in mind, this is not a spiritual journey, rather it is intended to be a historical one, if however it proves to be both, I'm sure I will be the better for it. I plan to take notes and take as many pictures as I feel acceptable for this type setting. I will write a straight forward account of what happened, but I will also record my own opinions and feelings. So please bear with me, and do not take this blog personally. It is what it is>>> I am going to church folks!!
I have copied and pasted the webpage for the church that I visited, I laughed at the name of the church, I find myself not knowing for sure what kind of church I am visiting, not that it matters. :))
I arrived at 10:45 for the 11:00 service. I needed to go to the rest room before, so I ask for directions. I had to travel through a Sunday School class that was still in session. I was assured that this was okay, although I felt very uncomfortable. As I walked through this class, I overheard the teacher telling this group of young Sunday Schoolers, "don't be a know-it-all because this does not please the Lord and you will find that you will have few friends.
I entered the main meeting room, the church smelled very old, it was not an unpleasant smell, it just had that smell of old wood and stone and bodies, probably many years of much use and the tears of many Africian American worshippers. Do our tears stay within the walls of the churches??? I think so!!
The service began with a song entitled "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
The people sang as if they really believed these words. A very beautiful woman read about 10 verses from the book of James I cannot remember all of it, I did jot down the following words that stood out to me from her reading: "...out of the same mouth we praise God and curse our fellow brothers, this ought not to be..."
The Childrens Choir was the next step in this service... they sang: "He Has Made Me Glad" as they clapped their hands and swayed back and forth. I believe I smiled the whole time they sang.. It made me happy>>>"glad"!!
I have never seen the following procession... the Pastor stepped down from the platform and dropped a "tithing envelope" into a small box, as he ask the rest of us to join him. He said that once he was trying to quote the passage from the bible that says: "God loves a cheerful giver" but instead he said, "God loves a fearful giver", that inspired hime to preach a sermon on that.
I liked that he set the example of giving as he encouraged us to give. I did not feel comfortable walking to the front to drop money in the box, but I did, I was a cheerful/fearful giver on this day.. It made me feel good to share with these happy people.
After this was done, the pastor ask all visitors to stand and introduce themselves. Again It felt a tiny bit uncomfortable... but I'm cool with new things so I stood and introduced myself, soon a few people came over and hugged me and said how happy they were to have me. :))
Besides myself, there were three women visitng from Hendersonville, NC and a couple from Germany. I noticed that the couple left very early into the meeting.
The pastor sang a solo entitled: "He Touched Me ANd Made Me Whole" Many people raised their hands and cried as he sang this beautiful song.
His voice was as smooth as silk yet it had a slight raspy quality to it. I really enjoyed listening to him, and found myself wishing he would sing more.
Finally he ask us to turn to the book of Luke, for those who did not bring a bible with them, they had a copy for each of us to follow along.
The title of the message was:
"More Than Pocket Change", it was about lost things. he spoke of many lost things, and finally said, there is no greater loss than a lost lamb./person/soul
He said, when one single person is lost they are the only important thing in the whole universe as far as God is concerned. This really touched my heart!!
He then invited all of us to come to the "morners bench" to pray. I think I am the only one who did not go up there and wait in line to pray. I had to hide my eyes as I cried over these dear people kneeling to pray. It was very moving!!
The meeting lasted two hours, but honestly, it did not seem that long.
I have never felt so warmly received and uplifted in all of my church visits.
I highly recommend this church as a historcial visit. It will give you a taste of the rich Africian faith and soulful worship.
They sing, move their bodies, as they lift their hands in praise to a God that is very real to them.
I was very impressed. This group of "believers" made me want to believe too!!
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Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church is the oldest AME church in the south. 
Sundays 7:30 AM 11:00 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM 843-722-2561 FAX 843-722-1869 Email: motheremanuelame@bellsouth.net Home | Pastor's Page | Information | Calendar | Meetings | Church History | AME History | Contact us 
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My Charleston Church Tour
Mother Emanuel
Charleston, SC
Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church is the oldest AME
church in the south. It is referred to as "Mother Emanuel". Emanuel
has one of the largest and oldest black congregations south of
Baltimore, MD.
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"Mother Emanuel" A.M.E. Church History
The history of Emanuel AME Church reflects the development of religious institutions for African Americans in Charleston. Dating back to the fall of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Richard Allen founded the Free African Society, adhering to the Doctrines of Methodism established by John Wesley. In 1816, black members of Charleston's Methodist Episcopal Church withdrew over disputed burial ground, under the leadership of Morris Brown. The Rev. Morris Brown organized a church of persons of color and sought to have it affiliated with Allen's church. Three churches arose under the Free African Society and were named the "Bethel Circuit". One of the Circuit churches was located in the suburbs of Ansonborough, Hampstead, and Cow Alley, now known as Philadelphia Alley in the French Quarters of Charleston. Emanuel's congregation grew out of the Hampstead Church, located at Reid and Hanover Streets.
In
1822 the church was investigated for its involvement with a planned
slave revolt. Denmark Vesey, one of the church's founders, organized
a major slave uprising in Charleston. Vesey was raised in slavery in
the Virgin Islands among newly imported Africans. He was the
personal servant of slave trader Captain Joseph Vesey, who settled
in Charleston in 1783. Beginning in December 1821, Vesey began to
organize a slave rebellion, but authorities were informed of the
plot before it could take place. The plot created mass hysteria
throughout the Carolinas and the South. Brown, suspected but never
convicted of knowledge of the plot, went north to Philadelphia where
he eventually became the second bishop of the AME denomination.
During
the Vesey controversy, the AME church was burned. Worship services
continued after the church was rebuilt until 1834 when all-black
churches were outlawed. The congregation continued the tradition of
the African church by worshipping underground until 1865 when it was
formally reorganized, and the name Emanuel was adopted, meaning "God
with us". The wooden two-story church that was built on the present
site in 1872 was destroyed by the devastating earthquake of August
31, 1886. The present edifice was completed in 1891 under the
pastorate of the Rev. L. Ruffin Nichols. The magnificent brick
structure with encircling marble panels were restored, redecorated
and stuccoed during the years of 1949-51 under the leadership of the
Rev. Frank R. Veal. The bodies of the Rev. Nichols and his wife were
exhumed and entombed in the base of the steeple so that they may
forever be with the Emanuel that they helped to nurture.
